Tanzania: Army Disarms Rogue Refugees

By Peti Siyame

Mpanda — ALMOST four months after President John Magufuli toured Katavi and spoke strongly against involvement in crime by...

refugees the Tanzania People's Defence Forces (TPDF) has seized 50 military firearms and 28 rounds of ammunition at two refugee camps of Katumba and Mishamo.

The army, in collaboration with Katavi regional administration, seized the arsenal during a special twenty-day crackdown conducted in the two refugee settlement areas in the Southern Highland region.

During the crackdown, 18 former Burundi nationals who have been given Tanzanian citizenship were also arrested.

Four of the suspects were arrested at Katumba refugee camp in Mpanda District while the remaining 14 were arrested at Mishamo refugee settlement areas in Tanganyika District, Katavi region.

Head of West TPDF brigade who led the operation dubbed "Safisha Katumba and Mishamo 2000, Brigadier General Jacob Mkunda said 13 of the seized guns were military weapons of which three were made in Europe, Brig General Mkunda said the firearms were smuggled into the country via neighbouring Burundi for poaching as well as other criminal activities.

The weapons cache also included one riffle and 33 homemade guns. Brigadier General Mkunda, presenting a report to Katavi Regional Commissioner (RC) Juma Homera, said the seized weapons were mostly used for poaching activities in Katavi National Park and other game reserves in the region.

On his part, Colonel Evance Mallaso, who was coordinating the operation, said most of the weapons were smuggled secretly into the country from neighbouring Burundi.

RC Mr Homera warned naturalised Tanzanians who are still living in the two refugee camps to refrain from illegally hosting other migrants.

He appealed to people who were in illegal possession of firearms to surrender them to relevant authorities before they were arrested.

During his working tour of Katavi region last O October, President Magufuli expressed his anger over the growing habit by naturalised Tanzanians indulging in crimes.

The Head of State warned the refugees against involvement in criminal acts, like poaching and armed robberies, saying those implicated will face full force of law.

Most former Burundian nations who were naturalised but still living in the refugee camps in Katavi region are said to engage themselves in poaching activities as well as smuggling firearms into the country.

The president ordered routine operations to weed out criminals in the settlements.

Early this month, the Parliamentary Committee for Foreign Affairs, Defence and Security asked the government to ensure refugees are properly vetted before granting them citizenship status.

The committee cautioned that there were some dangerous indicators from some of the refugees, who had been granted citizenship and called for appropriate measures to address the looming threat.

While presenting its annual report to the Parliament, the Chairman of the committee Mr Salum Rehani said it was significant that the government reviewed the status of the refugees who have been granted citizenship in accordance with international laws in order to tackle emerging security challenges.